A More Eco-Friendly And Long Lasting Durable Water Repellent Treatment

Portland company Green Theme International believes they’ve created a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish that is head and shoulders above the rest in terms of both long term durability and environmental friendliness. The DWR treatment used in Marmot’s new EVODry apparel, GTI’s Aqauvent is not only fluorine-free, but uses no water in the process of adding it to fabric.

It’s no secret that the overall textile industry is a huge contributor to water pollution worldwide. GTI believes the way to help the industry stop this pollution is to take water out of the process altogether.

To do so, GTI developed a process that permanently bonds finishes to fibers — all without using a single drop of water or releasing any hazardous discharge. The process uses a combination of heat and pressure to crosslink finishes with each individual fiber so that the finish actually becomes part of the final fabric.

Once Aquavent, GTI’s DWR treatment, is applied to a fabric, it won’t wash out or wear off over time. And the treatment effectively blocks out rainfall without a membrane. This means that Aquavent can be used to add water repellency to fabrics like wool or knits that normally don’t repel rain.

Aquavent is completely flourine-free and GTI claims that it outperforms all current durable water repellent finishes (including C6 and C8) on the market. This is why Marmot chose to use it in their new EVODry rainwear line.

While Marmot is the first outdoor brand to adopt GTI’s Aquavent DWR technology, you can expect to see many more follow suit over the coming year.